Anything and Everything
by animeditto
Summary: "Stay cool, stay calm. You are the shadows. You are always there but never truly acknowledge. Don't let your emotions get in the way, they only jeopardize the job. Don't let them know until you want them to know. You are the one in charge. That's how you get the job done. That's what i do. That's what you do." The creed was always with Riza, it's how she worked, how he worked. AU


Her father's words echoed through her head.

"_**Stay cool, stay calm."**_

The words of the creed she followed for the better part of her life. The words that would control her every movement whenever she was out on the field, the words that have probably kept her alive this long and the words that will likely be the end of her, though she didn't like to dwell. Especially while on a job.

"_**You are the shadows."**_

Her hair flew around her face and neck, long gone was the usual clip that bonded the locks to the head. It's been a nuisance since she had decided to grow it out, though it did have its advantages. Her previous boyish haircut didn't hold the same charm as her now long blonde locks did. It made seduction a much easier task, that and a strategic amount of cleavage or a well-placed slit. Anything for the job.

"_**You are always there but never truly acknowledge."**_

Her father would approve of the choice had he been around long enough to see. He saw her as a failure, just a sad reminder of his late lover. When her mother passed it all started. She would often spend sleepless nights trying to figure out why he did it all. She has yet to find out. Her partner says it's because he couldn't see her as his daughter anymore, that her father had failed her mother. Her father's work always had a way of over spilling into home life but with the life he led and the life she now leads it was inevitable.

"_**Don't let your emotions get in the way, they only jeopardize the job."**_

Once her father had deemed her a failure he took on an apprentice, the man that would become her partner. He absorbed all the teachings of her father. A little too well. If her father had seen that earlier both her and her partner's lives could have gone differently. They would have gotten married, like a normal couple, might even have a young one or two crawling around the floors. But once you get a taste of it you lose all hope of a 'normal life'. It's not that the taste is sweet or salty or hot or sour. No, it's bitter. It's like the first drink of hard liquor, it burns all the way through and you never get to be a person who's never drunken the devil's spirit again.

It was like that but amplified.

"_**Don't give any reason for them to doubt you."**_

The first time her father took her out onto the field she couldn't go all the way. Her young barely teenaged self just couldn't pull the trigger when it was aimed at another living person. He had hoped that the years of taking her out hunting and to the firing range would have eliminated that questioning. He had hoped that he had conditioned her away from the humanity that her mother had taught her. When she choked last minute he only saw three years' worth of training and over a decade spent in raising her was all wasted.

"_**You are the predator, not the prey, even if they don't know that."**_

These types of jobs followed one of a few different ways. One way was seduction, either herself or her partner, depending on which way the target swung, would get friendly with the target, make them feel important, safe, sometimes loved, then when they had the opportunity spill a tiny pill into their drink or inject them with a little syringe. It worked well for higher profile cases or those who would otherwise be untouchable. That was the clean way of doing things. Another way was a quick assassination, usually used for politicians or fortune 500 businessmen and women, a quick bullet to the head with the sniper, her specialty. But when you're hired to obtain information it was a little different. Usually a stakeout was involved, learning the targets routine finding the best possible angle to go at them. These was usually followed by a snatch and grab then a drive to the local warehouse or basement for a quick (or not so quick) beating followed by spilling the essential information. These were the basic ways of going about, their usual jobs. Once in a while they would receive a retrieval mission. Like this one.

"_**Don't let them know until you want them to know."**_

The stakeout they had been in the process of performing had been brought to an end in the worst possible way. The client told them that the person of interest wasn't a captive yet. They could expect for him to be abducted at one point or another during the evening's activities. Of course the pair arrived several hours before the event began to determine exit strategies, possible areas the target could be lifted and any blind spots. They didn't expect to find they're informant had planned it out this way. The rat planned an ambush for them. Apparently the duos skills had come around to bite them in the ass.

"_**You are the one in charge."**_

The blonde scuffed at herself. She was in the middle of an intense shootout but her father's words were still taunting her.

"Riza!" the hushed voice of her partner called for he through the tiny mic hidden in her ear. "They're coming in hot, about two dozen, it's too risky, I'm calling it."

Their power dynamic was odd, but only an outsider would be able to tell at this point. They were partners in every sense of the word. When it came her he had the last call. When it came to him she had the last call. They worked it out that way. They had been trained by the same man to work solo, you did anything and everything for the job. And that was their mindset. So they would have each other's backs to make sure they both get out alive. That's how they worked.

"_**Think through all the steps, memorize them."**_

"Where's the nearest exit?" her voice was just above a whisper. She aimed her pistol to return some fire, hopefully take out a few shooters, after a few seconds of silence asked again, her voice more forceful. "Roy, where's the exit?"

"uh, sorry, if you go left down the hall, through the emergency escape down three floors-" She ran out of bullets in her two pistols and flattened her back against the pillar she'd taken cover behind to refill the canister. "-through the doors there should be an employee's only exit to the alley we spotted earlier-" As soon as she refilled she ran sideways to left hallway, proving herself enough cover then continued to her exit. "-I don't know the condition of the alley. I can't stay any longer, heading up through the roof exit. Approx. time will be 2 minutes 25 seconds."

"_**That's how you get the job done."**_

Roy's voice went silent again. They both were heading to they're exits. Escape with your life. That's what they promised each other every time they went into the field. Riza followed her instructions sneaking her way through the hotel's crevasses. She pushed past the stair case onto the main floor. A quick glance around showed no danger and the employee's only sign hanging above a heavy door. She rushed to it swing it hard and fast. She was being sloppy and careless; she could practically hear her father's criticism. She didn't care. She glanced form side to side and heaved a sigh of relief, no more gunners trying to kill her and Roy.

"I'm out, what's you status?"

"_**That what I do."**_

"Coming down the northeast fire escape, meet me at the bottom with the car."

She rushed back out onto the street and jogged to the car they'd driven over that was parked a couple blocks away. She slide into the driver's seat of the mustang (Roy's idea, not hers, she argued for a less flashy car but Roy would have none of it, she only went along because she only _really_ cared if the car was fast enough for a chase and if it was bullet proof, both checked out.). She drove the car up and around the block, she pulled up to the curb to see an all too cool Roy Mustang with his arms crossed in front of his chest, sunglasses sliding down his nose.

"What took you so long?"

"_**That's what you do."**_

She rolled her eyes and reach over the centre console to shove the passenger door open towards him.

"Just get in and shut up."

The raven haired male chuckled and climbed into the car. They drove towards the hotel they were staying at about half an hour away from the hotel. They just pulled into the parking lot when Riza turned to Roy.

"I didn't want to do this anymore." Her voice was soft and quiet as though she's trying not to get caught by her father again.

Roy looked over at her sharing a pained expression. Neither of them liked what they did but either know anything else. Any and everything was for the job.

"I'm not sure there is anything else we can do."

"_**Forever and always."**_

"No, no we can. We can do some good."

He heaved a sigh. "The only skills we have are to kill people."

"What if we didn't kill, we didn't take any client. We go into security or only go after the truly evil people."

Roy thought about her words, letting them sit. "Maybe you're onto something. Maybe we could become military or a private investigation office." He picked up energy as he spoke each word.

"Maybe…" He trailed off into his own thoughts. Mumbling things under his breathe.

Riza broke into a small smile. For the first time since her mother died things were looking up. The future wasn't a dark and dismal thing anymore. Hope for the future was in sight. She missed it, she missed having that, it started to look good again.

* * *

so here this is! it came out of no where really, random plot bunny that i had to get rid of. this may or may not turn into a multi chapter fic. it depends on how you guys take it i guess. hope you liked.

-animeditto


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